151-0332-00L  Interdisciplinary Product Development: Definition, Realisation and Validation of Product Concepts

SemesterSpring Semester 2017
LecturersM. Schütz, M. Meboldt
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentNumber of participants limited to: 5 (ETHZ) + 20 (ZHdK)

To apply for the course please create a pdf of 1-2 Pages describing yourself and your motivation for the course as well as one or more of your former development projects. Please add minimum one picture and send the pdf to Link


AbstractThis course is offered by the Design and Technology Lab Zurich, a platform where students from the disciplines industrial design (ZHdK) and mechanical engineering (ETH) can learn, meet and perform projects together. In interdisciplinary teams the students develop a product by applying methods used in the different disciplines within the early stages of product development.
ObjectiveThis interdisciplinary course has the following learning objectives:
- to learn and apply methods of the early stages of product development from both fields: mechanical engineering and industrial design
- to use iterative and prototyping-based development (different types of prototypes and test scenarios)
- to run through a development process from product definition to final prototype and understand the mechanisms behind it
- to experience collaboration with the other discipline and learn how to approach and deal with any appearing challenge
- to understand and experience consequences which may result of decision taken within the development process
ContentAt the end of the course each team should present an innovative product concept which convinces from both, the technical as well as the design perspective. The product concept should be presented as functioning prototype.

The learning objectives will be reached with the following repeating cycle:
1) input lectures
The relevant theoretical basics will be taught in short lectures by different lecturers from both disciplines, mechanical engineering an industrial design. The focus is laid on methods, processes and principles of product development.
2) team development
The students work on their projects individually and apply the taught methods. At the same time, they will be coached and supported by mentors to pass through the product development process successfully.
3) presentation
Important milestones are presented and discussed during the course, thus allowing teams to learn from each other.
4) reflection
The students deepen their understanding of the new knowledge and learn from failures. This is especially important if different disciplines work together and use methods from both fields.
Lecture notesHands out after input lectures